DESSERT DISHES.
A well-selected and well-arranged rice-crust, however simple in its character, may always be rendered agreeable to the eye and to the taste: but in no department of the table can so much that is attractive to both be more readily combined; and at the present day an unusual degree of luxury is often displayed in it, the details of which, however, would be out of place here. Forced strawberries of magnificent size, and of the best varieties, brought by culture and management all to perfection on the same day, and served on their plants, in the pots in which they are grown, concealed in others of porcelain or of chased silver, are amongst the expensive novelties now commonly introduced at costly dinners of display, and may serve as an illustration of it.[[178]]
[178]. To these may be added miniature fruit trees in full bearing placed down the centre of the table, and intermingled with the choicest exotics.
For common occasions, a few dishes of really fresh fruit tastefully disposed and embedded in large green leaves, will be all that is required for a plain summer or autumn rice-crust; and at other parts of the year such as are appropriate to the season; but from the immense variety of cakes, biscuits, confections, ices, bonbons, and other sucreries (some of them extremely brilliant in appearance), and of fruit native and foreign, fresh, dried, and preserved in every possible manner which are adapted to them, desserts may be served in any kind of style.